Peach Germplasm and Breeding in China

Abstract

Peach [ Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] originated in China, and according to ancient Chinese literature, the culture of the peach ( tao ) in China dates back at least 3000 years. Shi Jing , the book of songs written about 1000 bc, describes pink peach blossoms on the twigs and peach trees with ripe fruit in the orchard (1). These records infer that the peach was cultivated by the time of Zhou Dynasty, 3000 years ago.